Firefighters could lift Dodd with voters

Thursday

Aug 30, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 30, 2007 at 7:10 PM

Wednesday’s endorsement by the International Association of Fire Fighters brings the potential support of more than a quarter of million union members nationally and an infusion of campaign cash Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd will need to mount a competitive presidential campaign in the early primary and caucus voting.

BY RAY HACKETT

It is a breakthrough moment for the presidential hopes of Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd.

Wednesday’s endorsement by the International Association of Fire Fighters brings the potential support of more than a quarter of million union members nationally and an infusion of campaign cash Dodd will need to mount a competitive campaign in the early primary and caucus voting.

But more importantly, the endorsement provides the one element his campaign has lacked — national media attention that, up to now, has been lavished almost exclusively on the top three Democratic front-runners.

Dodd has lagged in the bottom of the polls since announcing his candidacy in January. He has struggled for the media exposure senators Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Barrack Obama, D-Ill., and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, all front-runners, have commanded throughout the summer.

But this endorsement could signal a change, giving Dodd a chance to challenge the top three.

“The timing is on his side,” University of Connecticut political science professor Ken Dautrich said. “I think what we’re starting to see is voter fatigue with the front-runners and people beginning to look at those second-tier candidates more closely. And particularly in those early voting states, where voters get much more face time with the candidates, they’re going to see who he really is.”

IAFF President Harold Schaitberger said his union chose Dodd based on his experience and years of support for first responders.

“He’s done more than vote right and be supportive,” Schaitberger said in announcing the union endorsement, “he’s really carried our water and been proactive on our behalf.”

Dodd’s campaign has been looking for this kind of event all year. The IAFF was the first major union to back Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry four years ago when he was 20 points behind in the polls. The question now for Dodd is whether he can capitalize on this to secure the support to move him up in the polls to challenge the top-tier candidates.

The IAFF endorsement comes as the United Transportation Union, another major union, backed Clinton. Unions, a critical base for Democrats, play an important role in the primary process, and the split within that base signals an uncertainty that could bode well for second-tier candidates such as Dodd.

“What that says to me is that Democratic base support is still split about which candidate it’s going to support,” Three Rivers Community College political science professor Gary Donato said. “I think what we’re seeing as a result is that those groups, and individual voters, are now starting to take a much closer look at Hillary’s ability to win in November, and now they want to look at the other candidates.

“I think we’re going to see more and more of that,” Donato added, “and I think that bodes very well for Chris.”

New Dodd backer

In a recent interview with the Norwich Bulletin, Nashua, N.H., Deputy Fire Chief Mike O’Brien said he wasn’t planning on backing any of the Democratic candidates early on, but decided to support Dodd after receiving phone calls from Connecticut firefighters and taking a closer look at Dodd’s record.

“I think he’s a got a great message and I think he’s slowly getting it out,” O’Brien said. “He’s not getting a lot of media attention; that’s going to Clinton and Obama. But I’m convinced the more people get to know Chris, the more they’re going to find him to be the better candidate.”

Dautrich said Dodd’s strong voting record and support of basic Democratic principles likely will play well among Democratic primary voters in the early voting states.

“There’s no waffle in him. He’s a good Democrat and he’s never strayed from the party,” Dautrich said. “He’s always been supportive of the working guy, so this endorsement really shouldn’t come as a surprise. His record, more so than any of the other candidates, speaks directly to what is important to Democratic primary voters.”

Reach Ray Hackett at 425-4225 or rhackett@norwichbulletin.com

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